Business 'head in the sand' consumer climate strategy is not working

Almost half (44%) of a panel of Guardian readers trust scientists to take the lead on climate change issues, 31% put their faith into NGOs and 13% see the government as taking the most credible lead on climate change, according to the first consumer survey from Guardian Sustainable Index.

The research, based on a panel of more than 900 Guardian readers, showed media and business languishing at the bottom of the trust ratings, both hovering around 1%. The reason for this outcome, I suggest, is down to a lack of public action by both parties.

Climate scientists, NGOs and even the UK government are openly dedicating themselves to solving our climate problems. Each sector has its own agenda, but organisations like the IPCC international climate science body, Greenpeace and the UK government's new Department for Climate Change and Energy can all be seen as operating at the global cutting edge of climate action.

In contrast, when I listen to people in large media and business organisations talk about climate change, attitudes seem to be more inward-looking. The media's main concern is usually the latest climate controversy, like the scientific email scandal, whereas most companies search for green projects within their internal business operations.

Our first consumer survey reveals that people who are concerned about climate change, as three quarters of this panel said they were, are still willing to place most trust in the organisations that are actively looking for climate change solutions - including scientists, despite the climate email scandal.

More responsible media organisations might want to use this survey to consider how they could actively lead their audience on tackling the causes of climate change rather than squabbling about the latest climate controversy.

But what about business? In the business world we often talk about who the 'leaders' on climate change are. Often names like GE, Marks and Spencer and Tesco come up because these companies have climate change 'strategies' in place. Even better, according to the business audience, is that they have often managed to make or save money from those strategies.

But climate leaders in business are not climate leaders in the wider world. Instead, they are one of the least trusted groups. This is despite many companies actively saving energy and resources internally and even making big renewable energy and water technology sales to government and other businesses.

The problem is that consumers are being shut out. The UK public desperately needs low carbon innovation from business. Consumers know they need to reduce their carbon output. The latest carbon count from DECC confirms that whilst emissions from businesses are falling year on year, the emissions from the residential sector are slowly creeping up.

So why isn't the private sector delivering? The old argument that consumers are not willing to pay more for 'green' goods still rings true, with 73% of our panel saying they are very much or slightly deterred by the price of green products and services.

But almost as many of our readers complained lack of availability was a deterrent to buying a green product. They simply feel they have no greener choices to their everyday purchases.

Innovating to help consumers drive down their own carbon footprint is the most significant action any business can take to be seen as a leader on climate change in the real world. Innovation will also be critical in quashing greenwash accusations (another major deterrent listed by readers in green product purchases), which are only serving to lower the public's trust in companies to lead on climate change. Consumers want action, not talk from companies.

If a crisp company saves carbon (and money) by producing its crisps more efficiently, that may seem like action to that company. But if the company tells consumers what it has achieved, this will most likely come across as 'talk' (and talk soon translates to 'greenwash'). All consumers can see are a bunch of crisps that look the same and a crisp packet that they probably can't recycle.

Companies needs to show action to consumers before persuading individuals that they are taking real action. Some corporate responsibility executives have argued that consumers don't want to take action on climate change themselves, they want companies to take action internally and communicate a reassuring green marketing message back to them. The Guardian Sustainable Index survey suggests that this 'head in the sand' consumer strategy is not working, and that companies need to lead from the front, rather than from behind closed doors.

Sign up for the Guardian Today

Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning.